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You don t just come here and
Carlos Santiago. Blythe s voice was clipped and dismissive. I m here to speak to
him, not a flunky. Get me your alpha or get out of my way and I ll find him myself.
The shifter was clearly enraged, and began to change.
Blythe tsked and pulled a small canister out of his pocket. I had hoped this wouldn t be
necessary.
Turning the little spray bottle towards the shifter, he squirted a fine mist out of the
nozzle. The shifter sneered and moved closer, then immediately began to cough. Violent
hacking made him double over, and his skin began to develop bright red pustules.
Aconite, Blythe said conversationally as he put the bottle back in his pocket.
Other shifters were approaching now, but warily.
SURVIVING THE CHANGE Cari Z
69
He met their eyes calmly. Wolfsbane to the layman, mixed with fresh ginger,
condensed and loaded into this bottle. Gentlemen, I m not here to cause trouble. Fluffy here
started it. He gestured at the convulsing shifter. I recommend a doctor, because his lungs
are looking like his face now, and that wasn t pretty to start with.
What do you want? a skinny white kid asked, staying well away from his heaving
pack mate.
I want to see Carlos, and I want to do it without having to go through every one of his
gang to get there. Blythe wiped his hands on a clean handkerchief and folded it back into
his pocket. I won t bring the spray out again unless I have to. Now, please. Lead on.
Five minutes later, Blythe was standing across from Carlos in his inner sanctum, such as
it was. It looked like something out of a porn flick harem scene. Pillows, thick velvet curtains
and incense, but everything was in shades of red and black, and nothing smelled very fresh.
The entire room was dank and moist, and Blythe had no idea how far back it actually
stretched. Probably, it d been a ballroom at one point. Now it was a sty.
Carlos was reclining on a black leather sofa. The light was dim but Blythe could make
out the resemblance to his brother Raoul. Carlos was bigger though, longer through the
body. He smiled, and Blythe could see dark stains in and around his mouth. He hoped those
were from wine.
You have business with me? Carlos asked in a sibilant murmur, waving one hand
limply.
Yes. I m here for Sheridan Bailey.
Are you? The alpha s laugh came out like a hiss, soft but deadly. You have a lot of
balls coming into my home and demanding my property, human. No introduction, either.
Very rude.
The offence was unintentional. I m Ted Hamilton, an attorney with Myers and
Davidson s law firm downtown, and I m representing the family of Blythe Kenner in suit
against Mr. Bailey.
Indeed? One slender black eyebrow arched. And what crime has he committed?
Two nights ago, Mr. Bailey murdered Blythe Kenner in the apartment they were
sharing. This is a heinous crime perpetrated against a human, and is to be tried in human
courts. This was where things really got tricky. If any of Carlos pack recognised him this
wouldn t work, but he didn t think anyone other than Raoul had ever really noticed him.
SURVIVING THE CHANGE Cari Z
70
Shifter crimes are dealt with internally.
Shifter crimes were dealt with internally. The state supreme court passed a law last
month allowing the human justice system to prosecute serious crimes committed against
humanity by shifters and vice versa. I want to see Sheridan Bailey brought to justice.
I can assure you, Mr. Hamilton, he is paying far more for the crime he committed
against me than anything you could ever do to him. There was that hideous smile again.
And your story stinks of untruths. Where are the officers of the law? Why do they send one
man, armed with only a bottle of wolfsbane and no badge, into my home? Why just you?
Because they re afraid of you, Blythe replied evenly. As you well know. Laws can be
ignored as long as no one has the will to enforce them, and you ve made it clear in the past
that interference in your affairs would lead to personal damage. I m not entirely alone,
however. There are five police cruisers within a one-mile radius, and a team of SWAT
members are standing by. I m trying to do this the civil way, a way that opens doors of
communication between the law and your pack.
Blythe checked his watch. If I don t call in another five minutes, those officers will
enter this building. They re armed with silver shot and aconite bombs and are prepared to
use deadly force. Speak to your watchers if you don t believe me. I m sure they can verify my
story.
This much at least looked good. Thanks to Zeph s pack making a number of concerned
phone calls to the police about shady happenings and drug deals in the neighbourhood, the
local cops were out in force. The SWAT van actually belonged to Zeph and was a decent
replica for the time they d had to paint it, but not perfect. It was the most help Zeph could
give apart from the carefully prepared aconite spray, and Blythe hoped it would be enough.
Carlos considered him for a moment. Your men wouldn t dare kill any of my pack.
We re a protected people.
Self-defence is best delivered pre-emptively, Blythe replied blandly. Please, let s be
respectful towards each other. Here s my card. He handed over the card the real Ted
Hamilton had given him earlier that day. I encourage you to get in touch with me on this
line if you have any further questions. Oh, he was so not getting that internship.
Carlos took the card, glanced at it. He uncrossed his legs and stood up, seeming to come
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